In the past metal corrosion caused by conventional motor fuels such as gasoline was not much of a problem because such hydrocarbon fuels are inherently non-corrosive. However, with the advent of fuels containing alcohols such as gasohol or straight alcohol fuels, corrosion has become a major problem because such fuels are corrosive. It has been reported that this corrosion is due to the presence of acidic contaminants in fuels such as formic acid. It is almost impossible to avoid such contaminants because they occur in fuel grade alcohols and are also formed in storage as normal alcohol oxidation products.